A Non-Theist’s Advice for Churches

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Bruce’s recommendations for churches were spot-on. He had too many ideas for me to list them all here but this is what I would have to add if the idea of non-theist consultants was to ever catch on:

Ditch homogenous small groups. Or at least make them 100% optional. It’s kind of weird to me as an outsider that people would ever be separated into groups based on age, gender, or marital/family status.

Do nice things for your neighbourhood without bringing up god. Confession: I’m always a little suspicious of church groups who come out into the community. Too often this ends with a tablespoon of proselytization just as you begin to settle into the event. When this doesn’t happen, when the festivities end without anyone pushing the god issue they earn a little bit of trust. Build up enough of it and I’ll happily talk to general-you about anything.

Don’t make us a pet project. By that I mean don’t treat the people who do not attend your church like something you need to fix. We can tell the difference between someone who wants to spend time with us because they enjoy our company and someone who wants to evangelize us. I can’t speak for every non-theist but I avoid anyone who gives off even a whiff of the latter.

Date pop culture but don’t marry it. It’s good to know about current recording artists, television shows, books and other media. Some of it is actually quite entertaining. Please don’t scrape up similarities between your religious beliefs and what I’m reading/watching/listening to, though. I’d much rather hear about that great new album or book you just discovered, secular or otherwise. There’s always room in my mind for new ideas if they’re well thought out and crisply written.

Read your worship songs. Seriously, sit down and read the lyrics. Do they match your church’s theology? Are they (more or less) grammatical? Have they at any time invited your deity to come and enter your sacred place? I once heard a worship song whose lyrics included that phrase. Even as a (at the time) nominal Christian who had grown up with the concept of the church being the bride of Christ I was unnerved by that imagery. Someone who doesn’t have any exposure to Christian theology may very well be even more weirded out than a former preacher’s kid.

4 Responses to A Non-Theist’s Advice for Churches

First, let me preface my comment by saying that I completely agree that no one likes to be brow beaten or have beliefs pushed on them at any time.

That being said, if a church has organized or sponsored an event of some kind, I think it is a bit unrealistic and unfair to expect them to remain entirely silent on the subject of God and/or Christ when that is (supposed to be) the main focus/purpose of a Christian Church. As I said, I’m not talking about hitting people over the head and trying to force them to change. I’m talking about members of a church doing something in the community and then perhaps inviting the people at the event to come to a church a service or another event of some kind. An invitation which people are free to accept or decline.

I would never expect or ask any other organization/group/person/etc to remain silent about their beliefs, no matter what they are, in any situation, but especially if they are the ones organizing the event in the community.

Ok. Still if the church has a booth or stand of some sort in the fair or a float in the parade or is participating in whatever the event is in some other key fashion, then I feel my previous comment still applies not just to churches, but to all groups. However, if there are people just mingling in the crowd randomly bringing up issues that don’t mesh with what is going on, I could see how that would be odd or distracting.

Check out “Economic Business Model” http://pieceofburlap.blogspot.ca/2007/11/economic-business-model.html
I can see your point, but ultimately it is still from the perspective of a business model. I think this is a trait the modern day church needs to move away from. I don’t know it this is the point Lydia is making or not, but I do believe it might very well be the point you’re making.